CAG finds fault in procurements at GMCH; frowns at expenditure

The CAG has noted inordinate delays in procuring medical equipment for the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), which led to excess expenditure arising out of cost escalation, the report for financial year 2014-15 tabled in the Assembly said.
"Test check of procurements of high value equipment showed that the average time taken was more than one-and-half years. The delay led to excess expenditure of Rs 1.30 crore," said the report tabled by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
"We observed that procurement was marred by inordinate delays at GMCH level and also at government level. These delays resulted in ... Cost escalation due to revision of prices and exchange rate variations for imported equipment," the CAG has commented.

The CAG has also observed that some of the facilities which were installed were unutilised by GMCH for long periods.
"The central sterile and supply development equipment installed in March 2011 at a cost of Rs 4.35 crore had not been utilised till December 2015," it mentions.
"New mortuary cabinets installed at a cost of Rs 2.59 crore and inaugurated in December 2013 had not been utilised till December 2015 due to failure of cooling system," the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has noted.

It stated the need to streamline annual procurement of medicines, delay in finalisation of annual tenders (2011-12 and 2013-14) and said that non-tendering (2012-13 and 2014-15) have led to large local purchases at market rates entailing extra expenditure of Rs 16.22 crore during 2010-15.

"There were shortage of orthopedic implants and patients had to supply the implants at their own cost during the period 2010-15," the CAG said.
The audit report has also said there was a shortage of teaching staff, resident doctors and technicians in the GMCH.
"The hospital could not reap the full benefit of computerisation due to incomplete network and lack of maintenance support. The entire system is non-functional since October 2013," the report said.